Currently, there are two basic types of tampons used for feminine hygiene. The first type is a digitally insertable tampon which is designed to be inserted directly by the user's fingers. The second type is an applicator style tampon which is designed to be inserted with the aid of an applicator. Both types are usually made by folding or rolling a loosely associated rectangular strip of absorbent material into a blank and then compressing the blank into a cylindrically-shaped product known as a pledget. The pledget may or may not have a cover. In both types, a withdrawal string is attached to the pledget before the tampon is wrapped and packaged for sale. In the applicator style tampon, the tampons are assembled into an applicator prior to being wrapped and packaged.
During packaging, storage, and insertion, there is a general desire for tampon pledgets to be relatively compact and compressed. However, in use there is a desire for the tampon pledgets to expand to more completely occupy the vaginal canal and prevent fluid leakage. The formation of typical pledgets can limit the subsequent expansion from the compressed state. To overcome this limitation, various efforts have been undertaken to incorporate a resilient material or resilient layer during formation of the pledget. While these materials and layers provide some resiliency, it tends to be lost over time. Thus, there is a need for a tampon that maintains its resiliency throughout the product life cycle from manufacture to disposal and a method for making.